Mayfair hotel hammer attack: woman in her 30s questioned by police

A woman in her 30s was today among a gang of four suspects being questioned over a horrific hammer attack on three tourists in what is thought to have been a bungled robbery at an upmarket West End hotel.

The three sisters were brutally beaten with a hammer by an intruder who walked into their unlocked seventh-floor suite at the four-star Cumberland Hotel in Mayfair in the early hours on Sunday, while their children slept in neighbouring rooms.

Police were called to the 1,000 room hotel at 1.50am on Sunday after guests raised the alarm.

All three women, from the United Arab Emirates, were enjoying a break in London with their children and other relatives.

Khalood Al Muhairi, 36, remains in a ‘critical’ condition in hospital. She is reported to have been placed in an induced coma.

It is understood two other women injured are her sisters Fatimah Al Muhairi, 31, and 34-year-old Ohoud Al Muhairi.

Moments after the attack, another family member posted a series of panicked messages on Twitter.

Shekha Al Mauhairi, 18, was staying next door and ran down from the seventh floor to the first screaming for help.

She posted: “I am 18 years old and someone has attacked my family.”

She said that the rest of her family had been moved to another hotel and were being looked after by security staff.

Last night police raided three properties in Islington where they arrested three men and a woman.

The men, aged 56, 34 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. A 31-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.